Category Archives: Accident Lawyer

If you are like most people, you probably know some but hardly all the laws related to traffic safety in Connecticut.

Why’s that matter?

For several reasons… knowing the rules can help avoid a car accident while keeping you and your family safe in the event of an accident. It’s also important to remember that ignorance of the law is not considered an excuse should you ever find yourself in violation.

To that end, we thought a refresher on the most important traffic safety laws/rules might be helpful.

We recently did an extensive review of traffic statistics from a variety of governmental sources (e.g., The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – NHTSA, etc.). What we found was interesting…

If you were asked to guess the most dangerous month to drive – what would you say?

The teenage years are exciting for many reasons…

There are so many new freedoms and new adventures at that stage of life.

Sadly, it can also be a dangerous time – particularly when it comes to driving. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for 18-25 year olds. And 1 in 5 of 16-year-old drivers has an accident within their first year of driving.

First – the entire experience of driving is new. And many of the challenges that one encounters as a lifelong driver are as yet unfamiliar to the new driver. Then there is the danger that cell phones pose and the distractions of texting and talking.

Perhaps the greatest dangers to a young driver are the dangers as old as time – drugs and alcohol. Did you know that according to a recent Columbia University study, over 57% of the fatal car crashes involving a teen in Connecticut and across the U.S. involve a teen who was either drinking or using drugs or both?

The most recent U.S. traffic data shows pedestrian fatalities due to motor vehicle crashes rose 4.2%. In addition, pedestrian injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes increased by 19% from the previous year – all this according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Sadly – U.S. roads were designed with cars in mind – not pedestrians.

So how can we significantly reduce the incidence of pedestrian injuries? Perhaps emerging technology offers part of the answer.

Anyone who has ever been in a car accident knows the physical injuries as well as the emotional trauma that can occur. While the physical wounds are often easy to recognize, the emotional ones are often overlooked.

Victims of car accidents and their families need to be aware of the emotional impact an accident can have and how to get help.

Psychological trauma is just as real, and potentially damaging as physical trauma. According to a report in Achieve Solutions, “auto accidents are one of the most prevalent sources of psychological trauma, with over 6 million car accidents and over 40,000 traffic fatalities reported annually”.

When a person has been through a car accident many emotional responses are possible from denial, anxiety, shock, confusion, social withdrawal and dramatic mood swings. Debilitating phobias are also known to arise from car accidents, leaving accident victims unable to perform routine functions like driving on interstate highways or in some cases even leaving their homes.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a motor vehicle accident or other traumatic event, watch for any symptoms that continue for more than a few weeks, as well as difficulty accomplishing normal tasks, avoidance issues, or drug or alcohol abuse. All of these things are a sign that help from a qualified psychologist is in order.

If you or a loved one is ever injured in a car accident in Connecticut– call us. We will help protect your rights. The car accident lawyers at RisCassi & Davis have been helping victims of car accidents for over 55 years. What’s more, our Connecticut car accident lawyers have received local and national recognition for our handling of car accident cases including:

Top listing in “The Best Lawyers in America” and “Best Law Firms”

Top listing by Martindale-Hubbell as a “New England Top Rated AV Preeminent® Law Firm.

Admission of five of our personal injury lawyers as members in the very prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. The American College is a professional society of Fellows who become members only by invitation, with admission limited to experienced, outstanding trial lawyers who are unquestionably and eminently qualified as actively engaged trial lawyers. Only 1% of all trial lawyers in any state are offered admission as members to the College.

Listing in New England Super Lawyers published by Connecticut Magazine. Less than 5% of attorneys in the New England states receive this honor

We have written often about the role cell phones, intoxicated drivers, poorly constructed roadways and other factors play in car accidents. One of the most overlooked causes of car accidents is a driver who is too tired to be operating a motor vehicle. In fact, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety calls drowsy driving, “one of the most significant, unrecognized traffic safety problems” in America.

Some states are seeking ways to hold sleepy drivers criminally accountable for fatal car accidents they cause. The problem – while blood tests can detect whether a driver is drunk, skid marks can show that a driver was traveling too fast, and text records can show that a driver was distracted – proving they were drowsy and caused an accident is more difficult.

Each change of seasons brings its own driving challenges… the winter seasonmost of all. As we head into another snowy, icy, wet and cold time of year – remember these things to help you avoid a car accident on Connecticut roads.

So you’ve just had your first baby! Or maybe you have several smallchildren. You should know that car accidents are a leading cause of injury to small children. Many serious injuries occur because parents do not understand or are lax about car seat use.

If you ask 100 people what time of year is most dangerous for driving – 85 out of 100 will tell you wintertime in Connecticut. Makes sense right? Longer periods of darkness. Slippery conditions. Snow and ice.

Well those 85 people would be incorrect. Summertime is the most dangerous season for driving, with the risk of being in a car accident greatest on the 4th of July. As many as one in three fatal car accidents in Connecticut occur during the summer months. Drivers are most wary during the winter – and seem to let their guard down particularly during summer holidays.

Add driving boats – and the 4th of July sticks out as even more dangerous. Again more boating accidents occur on the 4th than at any other time of the year.

So just what is the major contributor to car and boat accidents during the summer and on the 4th in particular? Drugs and alcohol. Intoxicated drivers are a major cause of car accidents and are takers of life and property.